Willys Issues

    i'm going to look at a '56 willys tonight after work - and will be bringing it home friday during the day. i've never had a jeep this old before...and only one car older than it. can anyone point me in the right direction as to what i should be looking for to help me decide if it's worth the while? i'm gonna look at the frame, engine, tub, and wiring...anything else? he said it's halfway between a resto-project and just being a fixer-upper.
    thanks for any insight!
    chris (pretty pysched about it!!!!!!!!)

    The Dana 18 transfer case it has will probably have one of the smaller intermediate shafts. It shouldn't be a problem because you can swap another Dana 18 case with a larger shaft right in if need be. Look for a PTO, or O.D. It probably doen't have either one if it wasn't mentioned but you never know. It will come off the transfer case directly in line with the transmssion. The front end will be a Dana 27 and the rear "might" be an off center Dana 41 or Dana 44. It is probably a 19 spline two piece axle though regardless. The gearing will probably be pretty low (5.13s maybe?) but may also be 3.73.


    Is it a CJ3A or CJ3B? The B's have a higher hood to compensate for a carb change I believe. I like the B's better because they are different. The B's were also the only Jeep that had WILLYS stamped in the side of the hood if I'm not mistaken. I've heard of guys swapping in a fuel injected 4.3L. I think a V6 is about as big as you can get in due to the short fenders (80" Wheelbase).


    What are your plans for it? If it is "all there" I'd probably consider keeping it relatively nostalgic.

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

    Great Caesars Ghost man, you and Icky are going to have your own club in just one household soon! Looks like you'll have to come up with a few more members.... ;)



    :innocent:


    Another request for pics.....sounds very cool!

    The body mounts directly to the frame so check for rust. Check the frame for rust. really isnt much that could be wrong that cant be fixed. I have a 59 cj3b. the motors are week though, very weak. Body parts can be had easy and arent to expensive. flate steel is the best way to go if you can cut and weld.

    Congratulations on the new addition. It sounds like it will be a lot of fun to work on.


    Are you driving it home, or do you want to have it trailered?

    Quote from "wanderlust"

    Looks like you'll have to come up with a few more members.... ;) :innocent:



    Exactly, if you guys ever expect to have quorum, you'll need some little Ickettes or Quadnies!



    PHOTOS!!!!!!


    :useless:

    The 50s were a wierd production time if I recall because they also made a CJ5 while still making the CJ3A. So it could be an early CJ5 as well. Orange Crush has an old military CJ5 with the 24 V system.

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

    update


    went and saw it a little while ago. all i can say is that this thing is a project. he got it quite a few years back...and then started to do a full restoration on it. he got as far as disassembling everything - and then things got put on hold. the fenders, hood, radiator support, windshield, motor, and rollbar are removed. the tub, along with most of the rest of the body, are swiss cheese. the wiring is completely gutted - so it would need a painless kit. the engine has been broken down as well..and is in boxes sitting behind the jeep in the garage. it isn't the original engine as it looked like a V something...and you can see where the different motor mounts had been welded to the frame when swapped. the frame has surface rust everywhere on it....but nothing looks all the way through. it's a rolling chassis though - axles complete, on tires, and can be pushed out and pulled up onto a trailer. all of the above pieces that are removed are stacked up inside the tub though....so aside from getting a motor or rebuilding the current one - it should be to go back together with some serious bodywork time put into it.


    i'm not sure if i'm ready to undertake something like this - especially with all the smaller projects in the works with my tj. it's a friend who owns the willy's and he just doesn't have the time to finish it. he's not looking for any money for it - just someone to take it and hopefully undertake it as well. i think its the cj-3b since the willys stamp is on the sides of the hood...but i don't know enough about them to tell one way or another.


    what do you all think? are there any people in the dover area that would be willing to put up with me calling them once in awhile (read: constantly :)) for advice on assembly? if not me, would anyone else here be interested in taking it? he's hoping that it doesn't go to a yard....and maybe someone here could use it wisely on a project that i don't know about.
    let me know what you think,
    chris

    If your looking for a willys there is a willys truck probably 50's - 60's on route 72 between newark and route 1. I keep looking at it every time I go to my girlfirend's house. I want to buy it, just so I can save it, and restore it, but I know I don't have the time or place to work on it let alone keep my heep running.

    How much does he want for it?

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

    I've been fooling around with old CJ willys for the last 10 years I own a 48 2a and a 50 3a both with the willys stamp on the hood as far as I know all post war willys cjs had the stamp,at least that I've seen.I never had a 3b but the earlier cjs hoods are only about 4 inches tall. The extra hight in the 3b was for the introduction of the overhead valve versine of the 134 (f head 134) earlier cjs, 2a and 3a had the "Go Devel" L head 134. Early cj hoods are also a little boxer than later cjs my 48 and 50 also have a seam down the center. If it is a cj5 I might be the Buick V6, you could look at the steering, is it ross and cam or saginaw. I'm always interested in old cjs the older the better to me.

    slimer....lets just say the price was right at the time. not sure on the steering system...other than it's unusual compared to what i'm used to looking at. the engine isn't stock...so i don't know if i'm gonna keep it like that or go back to stock with it. sheetzie44, do you have any good links to sites that you've found that could help me out? i'd appreciate any direction you have. also, does painless make a kit for it? i'll check myself later but am hoping someone may know offhand.
    chris

    Here's a link to the transfer case rebuild I used. You should be able to back track it to the Willys tech sight.




    If you decide not to keep it original, I'd put a CJ5 wiring harness in (pre computer). Just keep the original steering column and wheel (to maintain some nostalgia look).


    If you decide to lift it, I'd go for some pizza cutter tires (I think LTBs can be had in 34 x 10).

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!

Register Yourself Login